It's official.
The Catholic Knight is retired. I'm hanging up the helmet and passing the torch. There will be no more articles, no more commentaries, no more calls to action.
THIS BLOG IS CLOSED.
I've spent a very long time thinking about this, I believe the time has come, and is a bit overdue. I want to thank my readers for everything, but most especially for your encouragement and your willingness to go out there and fight the good fight.
So, that being the case, I've spend the last several weeks looking for bloggers who are fairly active, and best represent something akin to the way I think and what I believe. I recommend the following blogs for my readers to bookmark and check on regularly. Pick one as your favourite, or pick them all. They are all great.....

Thursday, October 30, 2008

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: As of today, the polls indicate a statistical dead heat, within the margin of error (a virtual tie), between Barack Obama and John McCain. I don't know who's going to win the election and as far as this blog entry is concerned, it really doesn't matter. The topic brought up by it is universal, and applies to all Americans, in all circumstances, no matter who is in power in Washington D.C.. Please read the following, and then watch ALL of the videos below. You'll understand why when you do. I invite your comments below...

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As America's politicians move to expand the size and power of the federal government, the constitutional compact that holds our fifty states together is beginning to tear.

The federal government's "one-size-fits-all" style of micromanagement has brought the American people into irreconcilable differences between so-called "red states" and "blue states." It's as if we are becoming two (or more) different countries, with completely two (or more) different sets of values and ideals. Even the culture is starting to divide.

The Constitutional Republic designed by our founding fathers has not functioned properly in decades. The three separate branches of government no longer abide by it, and in many cases ignore it. The two major political parties no longer respect it. And sadly, most of the American people have forgotten it completely. The average American can no longer recite even half of the articles in the Bill of Rights. The few who can often have a distorted understanding of what those articles mean.

Though militarily the United States remains the world's last superpower, the federal government's control of domestic matters is slipping away. Reckless deficit spending has caused our federal government to amass a Ten-Trillion dollar debt. (That's "Trillion" with a capital "T!") It's a debt beyond our federal government's ability to pay and everybody knows it. For decades our national government has been either unwilling, or unable, to police our porous southern border with Mexico. Because of this a steady stream of migrant workers and resident aliens have entered the country illegally - amassing an estimated population of 20 million undocumented persons. Our government seems to be unable to handle our own domestic security, and has repeatedly sought to farm out management of our nations seaports to foreign companies. Crime is on the rise in every major U.S. city, and things we once thought unthinkable are commonplace today. Gangs control large urban areas, and have more influence than the police among the people who live therein. Our financial system has been hit hard by predatory lending practices encouraged (practically mandated) by the federal government for over 20 years. Now our economy is in recession (perhaps depression), while the only thing keeping it afloat is a $750-billion government bailout, which in turn gives the federal government more power that it obviously can't handle. The American dollar, once the most stable currency in the world, is losing it's value significantly. Inflation is nearly out of control. What costs a dollar now, our grandparents could have bought for 10 cents in 1950. Stop and think about that! What costs $100 now, cost just $10 in 1950. What costs $1,000 now, cost a mere $100 in 1950. With the skyrocketing national debt, coupled by the increased deficit spending in the years to come to pay for existing entitlement programs (not counting new ones), the American dollar is sure to plummet to a new low within just the next ten years. They say some of the last signs before a nation's fall are massive government power grabs, sweeping legislative changes, and a general restriction on civil liberties. Is this not exactly what we've seen over the last 40 years? How about over the last 20 years? Now stop and consider how much this has happened just over the last 10 years? Finally, how much more can we expect to see over just the next 5 years? It won't be long now before everything comes to a head, and the federal government will no longer be able to carry on this charade. Like ancient Rome, America is falling, and it's because of big centralized government.

Ever since the 1950s, historical experts have warned that America will fall from within, just like ancient Rome. What happened to the Roman Empire? It was parceled out and divided between multiple nation-states now known as Europe. Only recently has Europe been able to reorganize some kind of reunification - and even then a tentative one. So profound was Rome's fall that even the common language - Latin - was divided into multiple dialects, eventually becoming the Romance languages we are familiar with today (Italian, French, Spanish, etc.).

I would like you to watch the following videos with an open mind. I'm certainly not asking you to subscribe to what these people are advocating, but I am asking you to try to understand WHY they're advocating it. If we don't move quickly to reduce the federal government's size and intrusiveness, and return to the principle of individual state sovereignty (i.e. "states rights"), it won't be long before movements like those documented in the videos below will become mainstream....

Now everyone who follows this blog knows 'The Catholic Knight' was NOT a Ron Paul supporter. However, those who follow this blog also know 'The Catholic Knight' always tries to give credit where credit is due. If we've learned anything from Congressman Ron Paul's remarkable presidential campaign it is this. There is an extreme hunger in this nation for a return to a truly Constitutional form of government, wherein the federal government is limited strictly to the powers outlined in the Constitution, and the individual states reclaim their right to govern themselves respectively. Congressman Paul was able to successfully do something no other politician has been able to do in modern times. He brought together hard-core Conservatives, and hard-core Liberals, to work together for a common cause. He did this by simply appealing for the kind of small federal government mandated by the U.S. Constitution, and a return to states rights. If such a program were ever implemented in America, it would effectively allow Liberal states to govern themselves liberally, and Conservative states to govern themselves conservatively, and all states in between to govern themselves as they see fit. What Congressman Paul outlined was a practical plan to save the Union from an impending collapse that is sure to come within a matter of decades. On this issue Congressman Paul was 100% correct. Without this return to "Constitutional Federalism" the United States is doomed to cultural and political schism. So to give credit where credit is due, Congressman Ron Paul was right about this issue, even if he was wrong about other issues. As the federal government grows beyond it's ability to govern effectively, secession movements will grow proportionally until they become mainstream. What is mainstream? About 20% would be one in every five Americans - a population large enough to effect the general elections in any state. In the State of Vermont, secessionists now number at about 13%, and they're growing at an alarming rate, mostly among young college-age Americans. This may become an indication of where today's youth is heading. When what we see happening in Vermont starts happening in other states, we will have reached a critical mass. When (not if) that happens, it's the beginning of the end for the United States of America as we know it. The only way to stop this is to return to a limited Constitutional Republic envisioned by Congressman Paul and the founding fathers - otherwise it's kaput for the U.S.A.

The point is we're all going to be talking about this a lot more over the next 10 years. Yes, it is all together probable that within a decade, the whole Liberal-Conservative, Democrat-Republican and Left-Right political paradigm will become obsolete in America. Instead of talking about Liberal verses Conservative ideologies, we may very well be talking about whether or not to preserve the Union of the United States, and if not, how it should be divided.

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: Regardless of the election results this time around, Sarah Palin will be back in four years, and there's a good chance she'll be the Republican presidential nominee. Palin has become "America's Sweetheart" in the eyes of most Conservatives in the Republican Party, and her popularity has even surpassed the 2008 "rock star" image of Senator Barack Obama.

If Senator McCain wins the election, there is a strong likelihood he will not serve more than one term. He's already indicated that he will most likely not seek reelection. That would automatically make Vice President Sarah Palin the preferred Republican nominee, putting her up against Senator Hillary Clinton as the most likely Democrat nominee. So if McCain wins in 2008, the likely scenario would be Palin verses Clinton in the 2012 election.

If Senator McCain looses the election, four years of a very liberal Obama presidency would likely poise the Republicans to take back the Whitehouse. The 2012 contest would be Palin verses Obama in a head-to-head battle. By that time, Obama will have lost most of his "rock star" popularity status. He'll have to run solely on the issues, which he doesn't do well to begin with, and he'll have four years of failed liberal policies as baggage to carry with him. Of the five most likely contenders for the Republican nomination would be former Governor Mitt Romney, former Governor Mike Huckabee, former Governor Jeb Bush, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. Palin's biggest competition would likely come from Jindal, but she would probably beat him handily due to her overwhelming popularity and secure the Republican Party nomination. Among two possible Republican tickets, we might see Palin/Jindal or Palin/Huckabee. As these two men are the closest to her political ideology. Of course a lot of that depends on how well they do in the primary season.

Palin offers the Republican Party more than just some good conservative values. Republicans have not had a terribly popular candidate since Ronald Reagan. Granted, Palin is no Reagan, but she does present the party with something it hasn't had since the Reagan Era - that would be "rock star" popularity. Governor Sarah Palin is not the perfect Social-Conservative, nor is she the perfect Fiscal-Conservative. She has flaws in both ideologies, but so did Ronald Reagan. The trick to winning the nomination, and securing victory in the election, would seem to have nothing to do with how well one masters the ideologies of either philosophy. The Republican Party has flushed many candidates who scored perfectly in either or both. Rather, the trick seems to be scoring "well enough" among both Fiscal and Social Conservatives, while at the same time riding an overwhelming wave of popularity to excite the moderates in the party and consequently draw a few votes from moderate Democrats too. That was the Reagan formula, and it seemed to work quite well for the eight years it was employed.

A Palin presidency would certainly bring new life to the Pro-Life movement, and Palin's support of it would be aggressive to be sure. For Palin it's not just about political ideology - it's a way of life - and she's proved it with the birth of her Down Syndrome son. The issue of same-sex "marriage" is already a lost cause based on the U.S. Constitution. As it stands right now, the "full faith and credit" clause will mandate that gay marriage be recognized in all 50 states regardless of state law. There only needs to be a federal court ruling on the matter, and we can expect that sometime between 2008 and 2012. Even the most conservative Supreme Court (if one existed) would have no choice but to rule in favor of same-sex marriage thanks to the "full faith and credit" clause in the U.S. Constitution. The only solution that would fix this problem would be the "Federal Marriage Amendment," but that would do nothing to stop same-sex civil unions. Many conservative politicians, including Sarah Palin, have recognized that nothing can be done to stop the legal institution of gay civil-unions. So to deflect homosexuals away from legal marriage, they have come out in support of this. Sadly, this is one area of conservative values Palin does not score too well in, however, we may soon find viable opposition to gay civil-unions an impossibility in the near future. Palin may be simply playing her cards well for the next decade. As for school-choice, she supports parental rights but not vouchers. Government can support parental rights in education choice without having to use vouchers for private schools, and it can do it with tax credits, or education reimbursement checks sent directly to parents.

Palin's viability for 2012 may be determined largely by how well she's absorbed personal attacks, sexism and mockery without letting it effect her public demeanor. This is a Reagan quality. Ever since the mainstream press was able to destroy Vice President Daniel Quale with media mockery, they've used it as an effective tool to unnerve rising stars in the Republican Party. They tried this unsuccessfully with Ronald Reagan, and that earned him the title of "the Teflon president." Palin seems to be able to handle her detractors in a similar way.

Whatever happens this November, the next four years will be interesting to watch. Clearly the United States is in decline, and an Obama presidency will only accelerate that, putting Palin in a perfect position to steal his crown in 2012. While on the other hand, Palin has already distinguished herself enough from McCain, to ensure that even if he wins, she'll make a formidable candidate to oppose Hillary Clinton in 2012. Either way the beauty queen turned governor from Alaska is here to stay, and she may be the Republican Party's best hope for the future.

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: Today the Vatican released a document that reiterated it's ban on homosexual men to the priesthood. Gay men may not serve as Roman Catholic priests at all - period. From now on, gay men who seek clerical orders will either have to give up their desire for the priesthood, become straight and prove it for at least 3 years, or else join the Episcopal Church.

The Episcopal Church USA is currently accepting all gay Catholics (male and female) into the seminary. Furthermore, the Episcopal Church USA has made it clear that it is an "equal opportunity" employer, that is willing to elevate gay clergy to the episcopate as well. If you're a gay man (or woman) seeking the priesthood, you can't go wrong with the Episcopal Church - read more about it here.

(FoxNews) - The new guidelines reflect the earlier teaching, stressing that if a future priest shows "deep-seated homosexual tendencies," his seminary training "would have to be interrupted."

The guideline say priests must have a "positive and stable sense of one's masculine identity" and the capacity to "integrate his sexuality in accordance" with the obligation of celibacy.

The church is struggling to provide enough priests for parishes in many parts of the West because of waning vocations. But Pope Benedict XVI has said it is more important to have good priests than a greater number of priests.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

"How can I bless this nation when the blood of the babies cries out to me from the ground"

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: Like it or not, this election will determine our nation's eternal destiny. With the cast of our votes, we will decide if this holocaust of abortion-on-demand will be enshrined into our national law FOREVER. If Obama wins the election, he has promised to do this by signing the "Freedom of Choice Act" (F.O.C.A.) into law as his "first act as president." Once that happens, there will be no reason to believe that God will bless America anymore. He will bless us only in the same way he "blesses" other unrepentant nations that commit genocide. He will "bless" us with our national demise. This election decides it all. Vote wisely...

(Remnant) - As this edition of The Remnant reaches you, “This center-right country is about to vastly strengthen a liberal Congress whose approval rating is 10 percent and implant in Washington a regime further to the left than any in U.S. history,” as Pat Buchanan wrote on October 17 at WorldNetDaily.com.

A day later, Bishop Robert J. Herman, administrator of the Diocese of Saint Louis, published a column in which he warned, both literally and metaphorically, that “Judgment day is on its way… For many, this coming election may very well be judgment day, for this election will measure us…. The right of our children to be protected from destruction is greater than my right to a thriving economy. My desire for a good economy cannot justify my voting to remove all current restrictions on abortion. My desire to end the war in Iraq cannot justify my voting to remove all current restrictions on abortion.” (CNA, October 18, 2008).

A vote for B. Hussein Obama is unquestionably a vote to remove all restrictions on abortion. This man of mystery—who is he, where was he really born, and who are the equally mysterious financiers of his Harvard law degree?—has vowed precisely to eliminate all restrictions on abortion by signing FOCA into law, whose passage by a Democrat super majority will be his for the asking. This is a man who, in the one moment of visible nervousness I observed during the last presidential debate, doggedly defended the practice of leaving the victims of botched abortions to die in a utility room at a Chicago hospital....

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: It's no secret that virtually EVERYBODY in the mainstream media wants Obama to win the election. The same goes for Hollywood, and maybe even the pollsters. If McCain loses, it will just prove the mainstream media hasn't lost it's ability to influence an election. While I don't expect McCain to win, I must admit that if he does, it will only prove one thing. The entire mainstream media, and pollsters, are so incredibly biased that they've been fabricating Obama's lead all along. The American public will never be able to trust ANY of them about ANYTHING they say EVER again. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

(WorldNetDaily) - Seven years before Barack Obama's "spread the wealth" comment to Joe the Plumber became a GOP campaign theme, the Democratic presidential candidate said in a radio interview the U.S. has suffered from a fundamentally flawed Constitution that does not mandate or allow for redistribution of wealth.

In a newly unearthed tape, Obama is heard telling Chicago's public station WBEZ-FM in 2001 that "redistributive change" is needed, pointing to what he regarded as a failure of the U.S. Supreme Court under Chief Justice Earl Warren in its rulings on civil rights issues in the 1960s.

The Warren court, he said, failed to "break free from the essential constraints" in the U.S. Constitution and launch a major redistribution of wealth. But Obama, then an Illinois state lawmaker, said the legislative branch of government, rather than the courts, probably was the ideal avenue for accomplishing that goal....

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: It all makes sense really. Obama has spent the last 20 years in a Church that teaches "Liberation Theology" - a supposedly "Christian" version of Socialism. (read more about that here) He told 'Joe the Plumber' that WHEN he raises taxes, he just want's to "spread the wealth around." Now he's been caught on tape telling radio listeners that the U.S. Constitution is severely flawed, he's sorry the U.S. Supreme Court hasn't used it's power to redistribute wealth, and he thinks it's the job of legislators (and ultimately the president) to do it now. Yes, we are about to elect a socialist. But I suppose that makes sense too. Socialism has failed everywhere it's been tried, and it has laid to waste every economy it touches. If Americans are willing to sacrifice the lives of their innocent unborn children, to elect a pro-abortion socialist who promises economic "change," then I guess we'll get exactly what we deserve. It serves us right.

Monday, October 27, 2008

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: Now don't expect Hillary Clinton to publicly endorse or approve this message. She has to be a 'good soldier' if she wants the Democratic Party nomination for president in 2012. However, her campaign supporters are starting to bolt from the Obama bandwagon in mass numbers, and they're urging Hillary Democrats to do the same.

Recent revelations concerning Obama's connection to ACORN, and evidence of ACORN's extensive voter fraud favoring Obama, has prompted further investigation into the Democratic primary season. The results are disturbing. It would appear that if Obama had not had ACORN working on his side, he would not have beat Hillary Clinton during the primary season, and SHE would be the current Democratic nominee instead....

(NewsMax) - With accusations of voter registration fraud swirling as early voting begins in many states, some Hillary Clinton supporters are saying: “I told you so.”

Already in Iowa, the Obama campaign was breaking the rules, busing in supporters from neighboring states to vote illegally in the first contest in the primaries and physically intimidating Hillary supporters, they say.

Obama’s surprisingly strong win in Iowa, which defied all the polls, propelled his upstart candidacy to front-runner status. But Lynette Long, a Hillary supporter from Bethesda, Md., who has a long and respected academic career, believes Obama’s victory in Iowa and in 12 other caucus states was no miracle. “It was fraud,” she told Newsmax.

Long has spent several months studying the caucus and primary results.

“After studying the procedures and results from all 14 caucus states, interviewing dozens of witnesses, and reviewing hundreds of personal stories, my conclusion is that the Obama campaign willfully and intentionally defrauded the American public by systematically undermining the caucus process,” she said....

The Novena begins today (October 27, 2008), but if you're joining us late, that's okay. Just jump in and join us on any day up to November 4th. For nine days, from October 27 to Election Day (November 4), 'Priests for Life' calls upon believers to participate in the “Election Novena” by saying the following prayer each day. 'The Catholic Knight' will add one rosary on each day for the same intention. I hope you will join me in that too. Here is the prayer:

O God, we acknowledge you today as Lord,

Not only of individuals, but of nations and governments.

We thank you for the privilege

Of being able to organize ourselves politically

And of knowing that political loyalty

Does not have to mean disloyalty to you.

We thank you for your law,

Which our Founding Fathers acknowledged

And recognized as higher than any human law.

We thank you for the opportunity that this election year puts before us,

To exercise our solemn duty not only to vote,

But to influence countless others to vote,

And to vote correctly.

Lord, we pray that your people may be awakened.

Let them realize that while politics is not their salvation,

Their response to you requires that they be politically active.

Awaken your people to know that they are not called to be a sect fleeing the world

Sunday, October 26, 2008

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: It has been revealed that John McCain, though not himself Catholic, regularly carries around Catholic medals - particularly Our Lady's Miraculous Medal and one of the Blessed Mother Teresa. Even though the Senator from Arizona is a Southern Baptist, he was raised Episcopalian, and apparently the Catholic faith and value system have some appeal to him.

Last summer, John McCain made a pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico. There he was blessed by Monsignor Monroy. Since then McCain has backed away from his previous support of embryonic stem-cell research and has promised a pro-life administration if elected President of the United States.

The following is an account of Senator McCain's Catholic medals from Eduardo Verastegui, producer and lead actor of the 2007 American film Bella....

“I said more than 45 million babies have been killed by abortion in America and more than 200,000 Latino babies are killed by abortion each year. I told everyone that we need to put an end to this and, when I finished, I went to John McCain and I said, ‘Senator, thank you for your commitment to life. I’d like to give you something.’ I gave him a Miraculous Medal blessed by Pope Benedict XVI and he was amazing. He said, ‘Thank you so much! Look what I have here in my pocket.’

Then Sen. McCain took a medal out of his pocket that he carries everywhere and it was a Blessed Mother Teresa medal. He said, ‘Eduardo, now I am going to keep both.’

Verastegui also gave McCain’s wife, Cindy, a Miraculous Medal. He said, “I was touched when I found out that the McCains adopted one of their daughters from Mother Teresa’s orphanage in India. There is nothing more beautiful than to give children homes with families who will love them. I hope that one day that I can do the same.”

Friday, October 24, 2008

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: Something very interesting is happening in a lawsuit filed against Barack Hussein Obama. Apparently, the longer this case simmers in court, the more information turns up, and so far it's not looking good for the would-be future President of the United States. As it stands right now, it would appear that as far as the U.S. legal system is concerned, Barack Obama IS NOT a natural born citizen of the United States. He has just failed to prove it in a court of law.

The implications of this are staggering! If Barack Obama fails to produce the actual documentation (not a mere photograph of the certificate), then it would mean he is ineligible to serve as the next President of the United States even if he wins the election!

It would also make him the biggest FRAUD in American history, and the 2008 presidential election the biggest financial SCAM ever perpetrated on American voters. If this turns out to be the case, it will be one of the most remarkable historical events of our time. If he wins the election, he will not only be ineligible to serve as president, but he might also be liable for lawsuits and criminal charges. Joe Biden would probably be sworn in as the president in his place, and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) would lose all credibility for a generation.

What was once thought to be a mere nuisance has now turned into a major political and legal problem for Barack Obama just a little more than a week before the election. His lack of action, in providing legal proof of his natural born citizenship, is the cause of this. He can easily put all this behind him by simply providing the actual legal document to the appropriate authorities. That's all he needs to do. His failure to do so this far into the legal case, and into the election, has only caused increased scrutiny Unfortunately for him, that scrutiny is only turning up more evidence against him.

'The Catholic Knight' does not side with either party in this case. I just find it very interesting, and I really don't know what to think. For the time being, I'm just a curious observer, and I pass this information on to you...

(NewsMax) - The Constitution provides that any U.S. citizen is eligible to become president if the person is 35 years of age or older and is a natural-born citizen; that is, born in the territorial United States.

By failing to respond to the Request for Admissions and Request for the Production of Documents within 30 days, Obama has “admitted” that he was born in Kenya, Berg stated this week in new court filings.

Berg released a long list of “admissions” he submitted to Obama’s lawyers on Sept. 15, and asked that they produce documents relating to Obama’s place of birth and citizenship.

Instead of responding, lawyers for Obama and the DNC asked the court to dismiss the case. But Judge R. Barclay Surrick of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has issued no ruling in the case that would have given Obama’s lawyers more time.

“There are lots of legal ways to stonewall,” a well-placed Republican attorney told Newsmax, who was not authorized to comment officially on the case. “But failing to respond is not one of them.”

“The first thing they teach you in law school,” he added, “is don’t put a complaint like this in a drawer. That’s how a nuisance case can become a problem.”

The 30-day deadline for defendants to comply with a discovery request is set forth in the Federal Rules of Civil Procedures.

“It all comes down to the fact that there's nothing from the other side,” Berg said after he filed a motion on Thursday for summary judgment....

(WorldNetDaily) - The Pennsylvania Democrat who has sued Sen. Barack Obama demanding he prove his American citizenship – and therefore qualification to run for president – has confirmed he has a recording of a telephone call from the senator's paternal grandmother confirming his birth in Kenya...

...He said the telephone call was from Obama's paternal grandmother affirming she "was in the delivery room in Kenya when he was born Aug. 4, 1961."

Berg said he's pursuing the issue because of "the most important document in the United States," the U.S. Constitution.

"Nothing is more important than enforcing the Constitution," he said. "The Constitution's provisions are very small for qualifying for president. One, be over 35, and he is. Two, be in the country 14 years, and he has been. Three, be a natural-born citizen. He is not....

(WorldNetDaily) - WND senior investigative reporter Jerome Corsi, who recently returned from a trip to Kenya with revelations about Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's participation in a foreign nation's internal politics, now has been dispatched to Hawaii to uncover the truth of the senator's place of birth.

The issue has been raised multiple times during the 2008 presidential campaign, with a number of court cases already launched that demand documentation about Obama's birth place. One prominent Pennsylvania Democrat, Philip Berg, has alleged that Obama was born not in Hawaii but in Kenya.

Corsi plans to be in Hawaii for several days to review the evidence and records in the dispute....

UPDATE 10/26/2008: On Friday U.S. Federal Judge Richard Barclay Surrick dismissed the lawsuit filed by attorney Phillip J. Berg against Barack Obama challenging his status as a national born citizen. The judge ruled that any harm from an allegedly ineligible candidate was "too vague and its effects too attenuated to confer standing on any and all voters."

Since then it has been revealed that documents concerning Obama's birth have been sealed by the Hawaii governor's office and the Kenyan government.read more here

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: For over a hundred years the Episcopal Church USA has been welcoming Catholics who have issues with the way things are run the the Roman Catholic Church. Already hundreds of thousands of marginalized and cafeteria Catholics have joined the Episcopal Church in the USA. Here are some reasons why so many cafeteria Catholics LOVE the Episcopal Church...

In appearance, there is virtually no difference between the Catholic Church and the Episcopal Church. Liturgical worship is nearly identical. As well as the way the sacraments are administered. "When you walk into an Episcopal Church, you think you're walking into a Catholic Church. There's nearly no difference in worship at all."

Communion is open to all. There are no restrictions to receiving communion in the Episcopal Church. Anyone may approach the table of the Lord, regardless of membership, or personal choice in lifestyle.

The priesthood is open to all. Priests may be married. Women may become priests in the Episcopal Church, and homosexuals who seek clerical orders need not hide their sexual orientation.

Morality is a matter of personal conscience. The Episcopal Church does not judge a person's moral, social or political beliefs.

In essence, the Episcopal Church in the USA is everything cafeteria Catholics have been seeking for decades. It is what they want the Roman Catholic Church to become, but have never been able to bring it about. With the election of Pope Benedict XVI, and the increasing conservative statements coming out of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), it appears that all hope of liberalizing the U.S. Catholic Church is lost. Communion is being denied to Catholic politicians and lay people solely because they are "pro-choice" on the issue of women's reproductive health. Homosexual men are banned from the priesthood now, and women have never been given the opportunity to try. That's why a lot of marginalized and cafeteria Catholics are now attending Episcopal churches throughout the nation. If you're a Catholic who believes communion should be open to all, women should be allowed to be priests, and morality is a matter of personal conscience, then maybe the Episcopal Church USA is right for you. Click Here To Learn More

(Lifesitenews) - The bishops also noted that "in 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision knocked down laws against abortion in all 50 states, fabricating a constitutional 'right' to abortion that continues to haunt and divide our society. ... Roe v. Wade is a clear case of an 'intrinsically unjust law' we are morally obliged to oppose. Reversing it is not a mere political tactic, but a moral imperative for Catholics and others who respect human life," they said....

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: According to the bishops, Catholics are morally obligated not only to oppose abortion, but to oppose the U.S. Supreme Court decision "Roe v. Wade" which artificially created a woman's so-called "right" to choose an abortion. That's right! Catholics can neither be pro-abortion nor pro-choice. The teachings of the Catholic Church clearly prohibit the support of such a "choice."

What does this mean? On the surface it means Catholics commit the sin of heresy when they say they are personally opposed to abortion BUT believe in a woman's right to choose. Furthermore, they cooperate with evil when they vote in accord with such a philosophy. The Catholic Church's opposition to abortion runs much deeper than just opposition to the procedure itself. The Church's opposition goes right down to the "choice" that leads to an abortion. The Church's position is that human beings don't have the right to make such a "choice," that choosing to abort a pregnancy is no different than choosing to murder a small child. Nobody has a right to choose to murder a small child, and so therefore, nobody has the right to choose to terminate a pregnancy through abortion.

You can't be Catholic and Pro-Choice. This statement by the bishops clarifies that even further. Indeed, you can't be Catholic and say you support Roe v. Wade. The Church specifically calls upon Catholics to oppose the Supreme Court decision, and oppose "freedom of choice" on this matter all together.

Faithful and practicing Catholics will probably receive this news joyously, but it's reasonable to assume that a good deal of non-practicing and cafeteria Catholics will not. For those who cannot accept the Church's teachings on Roe v. Wade, another option is available.

The Episcopal Church USA welcomes "pro-choice" Catholics with open arms. In the Episcopal Church, "pro-choice" Catholics can have a virtually identical liturgical celebration of the mass, along with all the smells and bells of high church Catholicism, without the trappings of the Catholic Church's strict moral teachings and all male priesthood. If you find yourself in this group, the Episcopal Church has been accepting Catholics just like you for over a hundred years. Simply click here to learn more about it.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: "The next Republican that tells me I'm not religious I'm going to shove my rosary beads down their throat." This threat is an actual quote from Senator Joe Biden who is now the vice presidential nominee on the 2008 Democratic ticket. It can be found in a 2005 story run by The Cincinnati Enquirer and Community Press (read it here). Aside from the statement being grammatically incorrect, it also represents the kind of religious abuse Senator Joe Biden is known for.

Biden is the quintessential "Cafeteria Catholic." He carries a rosary, goes to mass, and has no problem wearing his religion on his sleeve for potential Catholic voters to see. However, when it comes to abiding by the teachings of the Church, that's a whole different story. That's right Joe, I may not be a Republican, but 'The Catholic Knight' is challenging your religion. Are you gonna shove those beads down my throat now?

Biden fancies himself as a "Pope John XXIII" guy, not a "Pope John Paul II" kind of guy (his description not mine). So what does he mean by that? Well, I can't get inside the head of Joe Biden, and I'm not sure I would want to even if I could, but I'll take a wild guess. Pope John XXIII was the pontiff who called for the Second Vatican Council, which ran from 1962 to 1965. Aside from that, there are few events noteworthy in his pontificate. Historically, he's seen as the Vatican II pope, because it was at his calling the council was convened.

Now the Second Vatican Council saw sweeping reforms made to the Catholic Church. Though not a single doctrine was changed or modified, the Church received an entire face lift that would radically alter it's image forever. Granted, many of the liturgical reforms called for by Vatican II did not come about until years later, and even then with further revision over the following decades. Most recognized of these was the translation of the traditional Latin prayers into the vernacular languages of the world. With Vatican II came the good, the bad and the ugly. Use of vernacular languages is one example of the good. Ad hoc liturgical innovations is one example of the bad. While newer church architecture is one example of the ugly. The truth is, Rome is still trying to sort out the reforms of Vatican II, refining the positive aspects while purging the negative.

Part of the initial chaos surrounding Vatican II was the introduction of new innovations at the grassroots level. Those who promoted these grassroots innovations cited the "spirit of Vatican II" as their authentication, and sadly, a lot of folks bought into it. Such innovations included everything from the way we celebrate mass, to the way we form our consciences about morality. It was largely a New Age kind of influence. You know what I mean; it came straight from the 'cumbiyah' hippy generation.

Aside from his amazing popularity, Pope John Paul II was widely known for his pastoral tempering of the grassroots "spirit of Vatican II" movement. He called Catholics back to their historical roots, urging them to interpret the Second Vatican Council in the context of the Church's historic traditions, not in the context of some New Age fluff. This irritated a lot of hippy generation Catholics, but John Paul II was very popular with the youth, and staunchly orthodox in his theology.

So there you have it in a nutshell. Pope John XXIII is often idealized by the hippy generation types as the man who gave us Vatican II, and therefore the grassroots "spirit of Vatican II" which sought to redefine Catholicism in a New Age context. In truth, John XXIII would have had no part in such a New Age movement had he lived long enough to see it. The idealizing of John XXIII by "spirit of Vatican II" folks is wishful thinking on their part. While John Paul II is seen by this same generation as the man who tempered the reform and effectively spoiled the party. Is this why Biden considers himself a John XXIII kind of guy, and not a John Paul II kind of guy? We may never know for sure, but this religious self-description is an interesting one.

Biden's Catholicism is certainly consistent with the "spirit of Vatican II" hippy-style Catholicism popularized during the 1970s. He says he's personally against abortion, but believes in a woman's "right" to choose. He says he's against gay-marriage, but supports gay civil-unions, then turns around and says he supports gay-marriage just a few weeks later. He opposes school-choice, even though every Catholic pope (including John XXIII) has advocated it since the early 20th century. In fact, on every major issue of Catholic Social Justice the Vatican considers as most important for our time, Joe Biden opposes it in one way or another. Then he has the audacity to threaten a rosary sandwich to anyone who dares to call him on it.

This is more than enough reason for Catholics to oppose Joe Biden. He has been told by multiple bishops all over the country not to present himself at the communion rail - a defacto excommunication. A vote for Biden is essentially a vote against everything the Church holds sacred, and against the authority of the bishops and the pope. Joe Biden is not a Catholic. He's a rebel and a heretic. He's separated himself from the Catholic Church by virtue of everything he stands for politically. To vote for this man is to aid him, and cooperate in the evil he does.

Hey Joe! I'm a little hungry and I was wondering if you could hurry up on that rosary. Thanks!

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: If you're a practicing Catholic, this is some of the best news you've heard for the entire election season. The most accurate pollster in the 2004 election shows Obama losing the Catholic vote by 48% for McCain to 39% for Obama. Indeed, political pundits have been saying it since July. This election will be decided by the Catholic vote...

In a letter sent to the IRS on Wednesday (Oct. 22), Americans United for Separation of Church and State accused Paterson Bishop Arthur Serratelli of illegal partisanship for lambasting Obama's support of abortion rights.

In a column posted on the Diocese of Paterson's website and published in its weekly newspaper, Serratelli also compared Obama to King Herod, the biblical monarch who ordered the death of John the Baptist.

The bishop did not refer to Obama by name but only as "the present democratic (sic) candidate."

Under federal tax law, nonprofit groups — including religious organizations — are prohibited from intervening in campaigns for public office by endorsing or opposing candidates...

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: The U.S. tax code is currently abused by certain groups to silence Christians. Though Bishop Serratelli did not mention any candidate by name, his comments sounded close enough, and as a result he's being investigated by the IRS.

Besides this being a classic case of how the tax code is abused to bully Christians in the political realm, I think it's time for Christians to seriously consider forfeiting their tax-exempt status entirely. Granted, this may reduce some charitable giving, but in the end I believe it would accomplish a greater good. By forfeiting tax exempt status, the priests and bishops of the Catholic Church would then be free to endorse and oppose political candidates BY NAME, and I think that's exactly what we need right now.

Everybody knows there is not a single Catholic bishop in the United States who wants Barrack Obama to win this election. Some bishops at the Vatican have been very outspoken against Barack Obama and the Democratic Party in general. It's truly a shame that bishops inside the United States do not enjoy the same freedom of speech as bishops outside the United States. It all has to do with the tax code. Everybody also knows that the IRS is very selective about who it investigates. Catholic and Evangelical clergy are investigated regularly for even the most minor infraction, while liberal Protestant clergy are almost never investigated though their offenses against the tax code are typically much worse. Yes, it's unfair. We can complain about it until "kingdom come" and it's not going to make any difference. I say the U.S. Catholic bishops should pull all American diocese out of tax-exempt status effective last quarter, and then buy a 10 minute spot on all the major networks to address all Catholic Americans and other Christians of good will. Then the bishops could issue a public statement condemning presidential candidate Barack Obama for his stand on abortion, and urge all pro-life Christians to vote for John McCain or some other candidate who is more pro-life.

Alas, that probably won't happen. So I suppose we could just wait until some federal court revokes the tax exempt status of the Catholic Church for some minor offense. Then the bishops will finally be free to do something similar to what I suggested above on a regular basis.

(CNA) - Addressing the assembly of Catholic bishops from around the world at the Synod on the Bible, Mr. Carl Anderson, the head of the Knights of Columbus, called for a compendium to the Mass readings to be created to help improve Sunday preaching.

On Tuesday, Anderson began by noting that, for a number of years the Knights of Columbus has promoted praying with and meditating on the Scriptures, which is also known as Lectio Divina. This praying with the Scriptures has taken place within the context of “Marian devotion through the Rosary and Marian Hours of Prayer.”

He noted that this “communal proclamation and meditation on the Word of God within the setting of traditional Catholic devotions - especially recitation of the Rosary” is considered an effective way to respond to the “advances of the sects especially in Latin America” by the Knights. This type of reflection enables Catholics to “more fully grow in the knowledge of Mary as "every believer's model for receiving the Word" and to “like her, respond in a way that is ‘dynamic, dialogical and contemplative’....

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: Those were the words of Bishop Joseph F. Martino of the Diocese of Scranton last weekend. Quite frankly, I don't blame him. Bishop Martino has effectively voiced a growing frustration of many American bishops, priests and laity with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (U.S.C.C.B.), the legislative body of Catholic bishops in the United States. Liberals in the Church, as well as the mainstream press, are playing this as a schismatic act by the good bishop. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Professor Douglas Kmiec is a supposedly "Catholic" advisor to presidential candidate Barack Obama. In response he said he doubts the bishop intended to separate himself from the larger church.

Anyone who would assert that the bishop's words are separating or schismatic, simply because he voices disgust with the USCCB, is someone who has no concept whatsoever of how things work in the Roman Catholic Church. Such is the case with many liberal Catholics and most of the mainstream press. They have no concept of how things work because they fail to understand that the USCCB is not an authoritative Catholic body. In fact, it has no authority whatsoever. It cannot pass edicts of it's own accord. It cannot discipline bishops, priest or laity. It has no way or enforcing what it legislates, and in fact, it has no official standing within the Roman Catholic hierarchy at all. The USCCB is largely a coordinating body, which serves the purpose of allowing bishops to work together in consort so there can be consistency with how things are run in Catholic diocese throughout the United States. They operate much like an official legislative body, except every piece of legislation they pass must be approved by the pope before it can go into effect. The pope has been known to reject legislative acts by the USCCB, and has even demanded that they pass certain legislative norms he proposes to them. He's also been known to reject certain legislation, over and over again, until they change it into what he wants. The USCCB has no overriding power to the pope's veto. In effect, the pope is the real power, and the USCCB serves completely at his discretion. He could even dissolve the body if he ever wants to.

The Roman Catholic hierarchy works like this. It's very simple really. First you have the laity, who are supposed to be obedient to their pastors, which are called presbyters or "priests." Laity must also heed the teachings of a deacon, when a deacon has been granted teaching faculties by the bishop. Second, the presbyters and deacons serve the bishop and must be obedient to him. Third, the bishop serves the pope and must be obedient to him. That's it folks. That's the whole authority chain within the Roman Catholic hierarchy.

But you ask; what about archbishops and cardinals? An archbishop is simply a bishop who has been given authority over a fairly large diocese. In rank he is no different than a bishop, except the amount of Catholics under his authority is much larger. He may have other bishops who help him within his diocese, but he is the chief pastor of that diocese. It is customary for bishops in surrounding diocese to follow the lead of archbishops, but they are not obligated to do so. All bishops respond directly to the pope, and are ultimately responsible to the pope alone. A cardinal on the other hand, is merely a bishop who has been given special standing with Rome in the sense that he is close to the pope, can potentially be elected pope, and has the power to elect a pope. Archbishops and cardinals again set the tone for other bishops in other diocese, but they have no direct authority over them. The only bishop who has authority over the other bishops is the Bishop of Rome - the pope.

You will notice the USCCB doesn't fall into this authority structure anywhere. That's because it is not an official authority within the Roman Catholic Church. It is simply a coordinating body the U.S. bishops created to help them work together in consistency. Without the approval of the pope, the USCCB is nothing. Here's the real kicker. Even when the USCCB passes some type of legislation, and the pope actually approves it, an individual bishop is still not obligated to abide by it. He can "opt out" if he wants to, and his actions are perfectly legitimate, so long as he's still obedient to the pope in Rome.

Bishop Martino has successfully expressed a frustration many Catholic Americans have recently felt toward the USCCB. From funding of radical leftist organizations like ACORN (read more here), to it's handling of the 2002 sex-abuse scandal, to failing to adopt the pope's liturgical reforms, to dragging their feet on seemingly every issue of major importance, to watered-down political statements that confuse the pro-life priority of the Vatican; the USCCB is increasingly becoming a "liberal" body that no longer represents authentic Roman Catholicism. In short, Bishop Martino is right, and I really can't blame him for saying "the USCCB doesn't speak for me." The truth is, the USCCB usually doesn't speak for a lot of bishops, priests or laity. As for me, my loyalty lies with Rome - specifically the pope - and whenever forced to choose between the USCCB and Rome on any particular issue, I'll side with Rome every time. That's how it should be with all practicing Catholics. 'The Catholic Knight' applauds Bishop Martino for his pastoral courage. May God bless him...

(Standard Speaker) - Local and national Catholics reacted Tuesday to statements by Diocese of Scranton Bishop Joseph F. Martino apparently discounting teachings of the national body of bishops during a political forum at a Honesdale Roman Catholic Church this weekend.

Martino arrived unannounced in the midst of a panel discussion on faith issues and the presidential campaign at St. John’s Catholic Church on Sunday. According to people who attended the event, the bishop chastised the group for holding the forum and particularly took issue with the discussion and distribution of excerpts from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ position on voting issues. The document defines abortion and euthanasia, as well as racism, torture and genocide, as among the most important issues for Catholic voters to consider.

“No USCCB document is relevant in this diocese,” he was quoted as saying in the Wayne County Independent, a Honesdale-based newspaper. “The USCCB doesn’t speak for me....

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: When it comes to basic political worldviews, Practicing Catholics have a lot in common with Evangelicals. The nation's top Evangelical spokesman recently pointed out what America might look like in four years if Barack Obama and the Congressional Democrats get everything they want....

(WND) - What would America look like after four years of an Obama administration?

"Hardship," "persecution" and "suffering" are among the prospects in a hypothetical letter from a "Christian from 2012" released today by evangelical leader James Dobson's political activist group Focus on the Family Action.

Titled "Letter from 2012 in Obama’s America," the piece clearly targets the many evangelical Christians seeking "change," particularly the young, who could tip the election in favor of the Illinois Democrat. At the end of the letter, the fictional Christian laments that these people "simply did not realize Obama's far-left agenda would take away many of our freedoms as a nation, perhaps permanently," pointing to a new, liberal-majority Supreme Court unlikely to change for 30 more years....

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: Watch the above YouTube video. It raises an interesting question. Now I have no problem with a little bit of censorship, especially of privately owned websites, blogs and forums, particularly when it pertains to cleaning up profanity, obvious slander and excessively defaming remarks. However, when you're running for president, you're supposed to be a champion of free speech. That means you tolerate a few negative comments from time to time. This doesn't seem to be the case on Obama run Internet outlets.

Now Obama is perfectly within his rights to do this. They are HIS Internet outlets, and he can allow (or disallow) whatever comments he wants. However, it raises an interesting question. Would an Obama administration attempt a similar form of censorship of the mainstream media? We know the Congressional Democrats want to reinstitute the "fairness doctrine" which would effectively shut down conservative talk radio. We can be sure Obama would have no problem signing such legislation into law. However, in doing so, it would give him a very powerful tool to be exploited for political purposes. The "fairness doctrine" isn't just limited to conservative talk radio. It could just as easily be used to regulate free speech on television news broadcasts, making criticism of his administration difficult at best.

It is widely known that the major media outlets (ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN & MSNBC) are "in the tank" for Obama, and invested in an Obama victory this November. Have they given this issue any thought? The very man they're helping to get into the Whitehouse may soon turn around and tightly regulate what they can say, and cannot say, on their news broadcasts. Is that "okay" with them?

(CNA) - The Catholic League’s president Bill Donohue has come out swinging at Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good and Catholics United for having ties to the left-wing financier George Soros.

Donohue charges that Soros’ liberal credentials couldn’t be more clear, citing a 2005 campaign by Soros-financed Moveon.org to convince Americans that they should back Democrats efforts to filibuster President George W. Bush’s judicial nominees to the Supreme Court.

At the time of Moveon.org's effort Donohue described it in a statement as: “a picture of a smiling Pope Benedict XVI holding a gavel outside the U.S. Supreme Court, along with the following inscription: ‘God Already Has a Job…He does not need one on the Supreme Court’.”

Although the incident occurred in 2005, Donohue now says that Soros is financing two organizations that have close ties to the Democrat Party and are “apologists for abortion rights....

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

(Debka) - US intelligence’s amended estimate, that Iran will be ready to build its first bomb just one month after the next US president is sworn in, is disclosed by DEBKAfile’s Washington sources as having been relayed as a guideline to the Middle East teams of both presidential candidates, Senators John McCain and Barack Obama. The information prompted the assertion by Democratic vice presidential nominee Joseph Biden in Seattle Sunday, Oct. 19: “It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy.”

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: Here's the reality of the situation. There is going to be an international crisis within three to six months after the election - period - no matter who wins. In all probability it will be a war between Israel and Iran, which the United States will be dragged into no matter what. I've already explored the reasons for this on this blog. To summarize, Israel has just a six month window to effectively attack Iran's nuclear facilities before Russia has set up naval ports and air bases within the Islamic State. Once that happens, any attack on Iran will effectively become an attack on Russian interests in the region, putting Israel at war with Russia. The Israelis cannot afford a war with the former superpower. They've got six months to act, or they must accept the reality of a nuclear Iran backed by Russia. The Israelis have already made it clear that they will not accept a nuclear Iran, and will act to stop it, with or without American help. During the 1980s, they demonstrated their willingness to go it alone when they bombed Iraq's nuclear facilities. So it's gonna happen folks. Like it or not, aside from a miracle in which the Iranians inexplicably back down and disarm, there is going to be a MAJOR war in the middle east probably before Passover of 2009.

What does that mean for Americans? Simply put, it means we're going to get dragged into it, even if we have nothing to do with it. Iran has made it clear, and repeatedly warned, that if they are attacked by Israel, they will retaliate against both Israeli and American interests in the region. This is mainly because the Iranians don't see any difference between the United States and Israel. From their perspective, Israel is nothing but an American beachhead in the Middle East. So in their view, an attack by Israel effectively IS an attack from the United States. They will therefore strike American targets in the middle east, and the U.S. will have no choice but to retaliate. Congress will declare war, and that will be that. With U.S. forces already stretched to the limit in Iraq and Afghanistan, America will be put to a test it has not faced since World War II. When (not if) this happens, either Barack Obama or John McCain will be in the Whitehouse. The ONLY question that matters now is this. Who do Americans want in the Whitehouse when (not if) this happens in the VERY NEAR FUTURE?

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: Don't let anyone fool you. This election is not about John McCain verses Barack Obama - rather it's about John McCain verses ACORN. Obama is simply ACORN's candidate of choice this time around. He might not have beat Hillary during the primaries without ACORN. If we had known about ACORN during the primaries, Hillary Clinton might have been able to challenge the primary results in states where Obama performed well.

The 'Association Of Community Organization For Reform Now' (or A.C.O.R.N.) is a radical leftist organization that is currently under investigation by the federal government for illegal activities including embezzlement and voter fraud. News reports indicate that ACORN may be responsible for the largest case of voter fraud and election rigging in American history. Some speculate their activities may even put the validity of American democracy at risk and threaten to undermine the very foundation of this nation's political structure. ACORN continues to commit voter fraud in the toss-up states, especially Ohio and Missouri, in which the dead are registered to vote, along with school children, prisoners, illegal aliens, pets, cartoon characters as well as a variety of fictitious names. This dramatically increases the likelihood of voter fraud on election day should poll workers supporting Obama caste votes for these registrations after the polls are closed. The very existence of these registrations, in such mass quantities, virtually guarantees legal challenges on election night to almost every precinct where ACORN was active. Simply put, if the election is close, we may not know who the next president will be for days, or possibly weeks, after it's over with news of legal challenges and court battles. In short, ACORN may very well have turned half the country into the same election mess we saw in Florida during the 2000 election.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: World Net Daily is reporting that as recently as 2006, Barack Hussein Obama raised money and campaigned for a Kenyan presidential candidate who promised to enact Islamic Shariah Law once elected. This revelation puts Obama in a very compromised position with Islamic powers, seeking to effect a Muslim takeover, inside the African nation. Unlike his relationship with former domestic terrorist Bill Ayers, his actions in this case amount to more than just a mere association, but rather a political "partnership" Obama has made with an Islamic Kenyan radical. To make matters worse, by raising money, and campaigning for such a radical, it gives the clear appearance of endorsement for this man and what he represents - mainly Shariah Law. News of this comes as Obama is just a breathtaking two weeks away from becoming the next president of the United States...

(WorldNetDaily.com) - A controversial Kenyan leader for whom Sen. Barack Obama not only campaigned, but raised almost $1 million during the run-up to that nation's 2007 presidential election, had concluded a written agreement with Muslim leaders stipulating that, if they delivered him the Muslim vote, he would in turn, once elected, convert Kenya into an Islamic state governed by Shariah law, protect terrorists from prosecution, and effectively ban Christianity.

WND documented earlier that Obama supported and campaigned for Kenya opposition leader Raila Odinga during a 2006 senatorial "fact-finding" trip to Kenya, and subsequently reported on documents revealing Obama's part in raising almost $1 million for Odinga.

Accord to a BBC report, Odinga says he is Obama's cousin, specifically that the presidential candidate's father was Odinga's maternal uncle. Obama's father, a Kenyan, married his American mother while both were attending the university of Hawaii.

Odinga took over the office of prime minister in Kenya after his campaign called for protests of an election he lost by more than 200,000 votes to incumbent Mwai Kibaki. The resulting violence by marauding Muslim mobs left 1,000 people dead, hundreds of thousands displaced from their homes and 800 Christian churches damaged or destroyed. No Islamic mosques were damaged, however.

Among the worst attacks occurred when several dozen women and children sought refuge in a Christian church which mobs burned down on top of them.

WND has reported that the violence appears to have been part of Odinga's campaign strategy. Former members of Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement party, or ODM, claim Obama did not call on Odinga to drop his voter-fraud campaign or withdraw from his pursuit of the presidency even after he lost and the violence erupted....

On a side note; Obama campaigned for Odinga during a senatorial "fact-finding" trip to Kenya. Was any part of this trip funded by taxpayers? If so, is it legal for somebody to use taxpayer dollars to campaign for a foreign candidate in a foreign election?

Friday, October 17, 2008

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: Have you ever seen anything like this in your lifetime? Never before has there been such a unanimous set of statements from the pope, the Vatican, and bishops within the United States. Their message to Catholic voters is unified - Defend the unborn and vote Pro-Life. It's as if everything is on the line, as if America chooses her eternal destiny in this election. Will we push the cause of life forward or backward. How long can Americans endure this holocaust on abortion before God brings down upon us the wages we have earned? The message of the pope and bishops is clear. If you're a Catholic, you MUST vote Pro-Life, or else you forfeit your faith on the alter of "moral relativism." You can't be Catholic and "Pro-Choice" on abortion. Never before has the Church spoken with such unanimity on this. It's as if a voice is crying out in the wilderness - a voice of warning. As Americans go to the polls, I'm beginning to wonder if God will be doing his own poll on election day. When all the votes are counted, will he once again stretch down his mighty finger, and this time write on the wall of our own capitol building: "MENE, TEKEL, PERES." (see Daniel 5).

(CNA).- Bishop Robert J. Herman, the administrator of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, has written a column reminding Catholics that their vote will be a decision weighed on the Day of Judgment. He urged Catholics not to treat the unborn as the neglectful rich man treated Lazarus in the biblical parable.

“Judgment Day is on its way,” the bishop wrote in the St. Louis Review. “We cannot stop it. We don’t know when it will come, but just as surely as the sun rises daily, the Son of Man will come when we least expect.”

“For many, this coming election may very well be judgment day, for this election will measure us,” he continued, referencing Christ’s words of judgment in Matthew 10:32-33:

“Everyone who acknowledges Me before others, I will acknowledge before My heavenly Father. But whoever denies Me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.”

Bishop Herman asked the faithful to consider what kind of witness they give to God when they enter the voting booth on Election Day.

“The decision I make in the voting booth will reflect my value system. If I value the good of the economy and my current lifestyle more than I do the right to life itself, then I am in trouble,” the bishop wrote....

(LifeSiteNews.com) - In these final weeks before the American election, many US bishops are working hard to leave Catholics no doubt of where they must stand on the abortion issue when it comes to the ballot box.

Bishops Robert W. Finn of Kansas City, Robert Hermann of St. Louis, and Edwin O'Brien of Baltimore have all penned strongly worded columns on abortion in the last few days, calling on their flocks to vote pro-life and to support the pro-life cause more generally, describing the November election as one that comes down to "saving our children or killing our children." "This," says Bishop Hermann in the St. Louis Review, "is the overriding issue facing each of us."

The letters provide no room for equivocation or rationalization. "All other issues ... have to take second place to the issue of life," writes Bishop Hermann, whose article particularly targets "so-called good Catholics," regular church-goers who receive the Eucharist but "are quite ready to vote for a pro-abortion candidate under almost any circumstance."

The bishops agree that everything is on the line.

They are unanimous in their approach to the coming election. "Do some of our so-called good Catholics, who may go to Mass every Sunday and receive the Holy Eucharist, really believe that voting for a pro-abortion candidate, when there is a clear alternative and therefore no justifiable reason for so doing, is really not voting to have children killed?" questions Bishop Hermann. "This election is all about saving our children!..."

".....Our country," warns Bishop Finn, "is at the edge of the precipice concerning the protection of the life and dignity of the human person. A significant new attack on innocent human life will likely send us into a moral freefall that would rival any financial decline. The price for such a 'walk over the cliff' is millions more human lives for many more years to come........"

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: I've always found it fascinating how Leftist Liberals frequently try to intimidate Christians (particularly Catholics) with legal action to revoke their tax exemption when churches don't keep quiet about their pet liberal issues. Don't these fools realize that if they're ever successful in actually revoking the Catholic Church's tax exempt status, it will only enrage the Catholic laity against them, while the clergy will finally be free to endorse and condemn political candidates by name. Thus giving the Catholic Church more political power than it's ever had in United States history. In a strange kind of way, I actually hope it happens some day, just so Leftist Liberals can feel the political fallout that will inevitably result.

(Catholic Online) - Rob Boston of “Americans United for the Separation of Church and State” has decided to engage in verbal bullying with the leadership of the U.S. Catholic Church. In a posting on the AU web site entitled “Texas Side Step: Bishops’ Letter Attacking Pro-Choice Candidates Attempts To Sashay Past Federal Tax Law”, the Assistant Director of Communications has signaled their legal strategy.

The group has quite a history of anti-Catholicism in their efforts. They were originally called “Protestants United for the Separation of Church and State”, but changed their name for obvious reasons. However, with their recent efforts to bully Catholic Bishops who have the courage to bravely teach Moral truth, they seem to be reverting to their past. Boston tells AU supporters:

“Bishops are issuing letters telling Catholics they cannot vote for candidates who hold pro-choice views and remain in good standing in the church. Two Texas bishops have released a letter informing their congregants whom they can and can’t vote for and remain faithful members of the Roman Catholic Church. The missive by Bishop Kevin Farrell of the Diocese of Dallas and Bishop Kevin Vann of the Diocese of Fort Worth is being read in all Catholic churches in the area. It states in part, “To vote for a candidate who supports the intrinsic evil of abortion or ‘abortion rights’ when there is a morally acceptable alternative would be to cooperate in the evil – and, therefore, morally impermissible.” The letter never mentions Democratic candidate Barack Obama or his opponent, John McCain, by name. But you’d have to be very dense indeed not to get the message. Farrell and Vann go on to assert that other issues traditionally important to Catholics – social justice, care for the poor, health care – need not be seriously considered this year. Instead, Catholics must base their vote on abortion….”

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: The INTOLERANT left-wing zealots, among California homosexual advocates, are at it again. This time engaging in illegal activity ranging from petty theft, to vandalism, to assault and battery. It just goes to show how those who say they represent "tolerance" are some of the most intolerant and hateful people in our society....

(CNA) - This past Sunday, a parishioner at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Modesto, California was attacked while helping promote Proposition 8, which will define marriage as only between a man and a woman in California. According to promoters of the initiative, the assault is part of a “wave of violence” throughout the state....

(California Catholic Daily) - With less than three weeks remaining before election day, the No on 8 campaign is getting desperate as they trail in the polls and in fundraising. As if violently attacking a Yes on 8 volunteer in Modesto on Sunday, Oct, 12, were not bad enough (see “He received 16 stitches,”California Catholic Daily, Oct. 14), No on 8 forces have been intimidating Yes on 8 volunteers and stealing yard signs across the state.....

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